Power control method and power control apparatus for a vehicle

Abstract

A method for controlling power of a vehicle includes: collecting, by a controller, data on a current consumed by an electrical load of the vehicle and calculating an average current consumption for the electrical load based on the collected data on the current consumed; determining, by the controller, power conversion of a converter to generate a converted current having an amount corresponding to the calculated average current consumption; variably controlling, by the controller, the power conversion of the converter to compensate for a deterioration state of a battery when the deterioration state of the battery provided to supply power to the electrical load occurs; and securing, by the controller, higher power conversion efficiency of the converter by controlling power supply to the electrical load when the deterioration state of the battery does not occur.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for controlling power of a vehicle, the method comprising:
 collecting, by a controller, data on a current consumed by an electrical load of the vehicle and calculating an average current consumption for the electrical load based on the collected data on the current consumed; 
 determining, by the controller, power conversion of a converter to generate a converted current having an amount corresponding to the calculated average current consumption; 
 variably controlling, by the controller, the power conversion of the converter to compensate for a deterioration state of a battery when the deterioration state of the battery provided to supply power to the electrical load occurs; and 
 securing, by the controller, higher power conversion efficiency of the converter by controlling power supply to the electrical load when the deterioration state of the battery does not occur. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the converter includes a multi-phase direct current-direct current (DC-DC) converter. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein
 the variable controlling of the power conversion of the converter includes variably controlling the number of phase activations of the multi-phase DC-DC converter. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 increasing, by the controller, the number of phase activations of the converter to compensate for the deterioration state of the battery when the deterioration state of the battery occurs. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 determining, by the controller, that the deterioration state of the battery occurs when a state of charge (SOC) and a temperature of the battery are respectively within predetermined ranges. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the controlling power supply to the electrical load when the deterioration state of the battery does not occur further comprises:
 when the electrical load includes a large current consuming load consuming a large current greater than or equal to a predetermined amount, identifying, by the controller, whether the large current consuming load is operating; and 
 blocking, by the controller, power supply to a predetermined convenient load of the large current consuming load when the large current consuming load is in operation. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein
 the predetermined convenient load is not directly related to driving and safety of the vehicle and is an electrical load predetermined for convenience of occupants. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 identifying, by the controller, whether the current consumption in the electrical load decreases when the large current consuming load is not in operation; and 
 increasing, by the controller, an amount of charge of the battery by the reduced current consumption when the current consumption in the electrical load is reduced. 
 
     
     
       9. A power control apparatus for a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
 a converter configured to supply power to an electrical load and a battery; and 
 a controller configured to
 control power supply to the electrical load and the battery by controlling the converter, 
 collect data on a current consumed by the electrical load of the vehicle, 
 calculate an average current consumption for the electrical load based on the collected data on the current consumed, 
 determine power conversion of the converter to generate a converted current having an amount corresponding to the calculated average current consumption, 
 variably control the power conversion of the converter to compensate for a deterioration state of the battery when the deterioration state of the battery provided to supply power to the electrical load occurs, and 
 secure higher power conversion efficiency of the converter by controlling power supply to the electrical load when the deterioration state of the battery does not occur. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein
 the converter includes a multi-phase direct current-direct current (DC-DC) converter. 
 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein
 the variable controlling of the power conversion of the converter includes variably controlling the number of phase activations of the multi-phase DC-DC converter. 
 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein
 when the deterioration state of the battery occurs, the controller is configured to increase the number of phase activations of the converter to compensate for the deterioration state of the battery. 
 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the deterioration state of the battery is determined based on a state of charge (SOC) and a temperature of the battery, and
 wherein the controller is configured to determine the deterioration state of the battery occurs when the SOC and the temperature of the battery are respectively within predetermined ranges. 
 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein for controlling power supply to the electrical load when the deterioration state of the battery does not occur, the controller is configured to, when the electrical load includes a large current consuming load consuming a large current greater than or equal to a predetermined amount, identify whether the large current consuming load is operating and also configured to block power supply to a predetermined convenient load of the large current consuming load when the large current consuming load is in operation. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein
 the predetermined convenient load is not directly related to driving and safety of the vehicle and is an electrical load predetermined for convenience of occupants. 
 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein
 the controller is configured to identify whether the current consumption in the electrical load decreases when the large current consuming load is not in operation and also configured to increase the amount of charge of the battery by the reduced current consumption when the current consumption in the electrical load is reduced. 
 
     
     
       17. A method for controlling power of a vehicle, the method comprising:
 collecting, by a controller, data on a current consumed by an electrical load of the vehicle and calculating an average current consumption for the electrical load based on the collected data on the current consumed; 
 determining, by the controller, power conversion of a multi-phase direct current-direct current (DC-DC) converter to generate a converted current having an amount corresponding to the calculated average current consumption; 
 controlling, by the controller, the number of phase activations of the multi-phase DC-DC converter to increase so as to compensate for a deterioration state of a battery when the deterioration state of the battery provided to supply power to the electrical load occurs; and 
 securing, by the controller, higher power conversion efficiency of the multi-phase DC-DC converter by controlling power supply to be selectively restricted to the electrical load when the deterioration state of the battery does not occur. 
 
     
     
       18. A power control apparatus for a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
 a converter configured to supply power to an electrical load and a battery; and 
 a controller configured to
 control power supply to the electrical load and the battery by controlling the converter, 
 collect data on a current consumed by an electrical load of the vehicle, 
 calculate an average current consumption for the electrical load based on the collected data on the current consumed, 
 determine power conversion of a multi-phase direct current-direct current (DC-DC) converter to generate a converted current having an amount corresponding to the calculated average current consumption, 
 increase the number of phase activations of the multi-phase DC-DC converter to compensate for a deterioration state of the battery when the deterioration state of the battery provided to supply power to the electrical load occurs, and 
 secure higher power conversion efficiency of the multi-phase DC-DC converter by selectively restricting power supply to the electrical load when the deterioration state of the battery does not occur.